Strolghino salami of Culatello

Once upon a time there were no fridges or avant-garde technology and the production of fine charcuterie was no mean feat. Once the meat had been minced, a number of things could go wrong. The seasons might be too hot or too dry or too wet. Sometimes months of work could be ruined by pure bad luck.

So pigs were butchered in winter when the cold protected the meat, then everyone prayed to God that everything would go well because that pig represented sacrifice, both in terms of money and hard work. Some chose to make salami and ham and others, who lived in the right towns, were more willing to take a risk and opted to make Culatello. Strolghino was made with the leftovers (a strange word to use for valuable pork thigh). The name speaks volumes of the fears and uncertainties of a task which is still subject to the vagaries of the seasons and of fate. There is nothing accidental about the fact that, in Italian, the archaic verb 'strologare' means to guess, to prophesy, read the stars and the omens, as a fortune teller does. Strolghino, a humble meat because it is made with the pieces cut off Culatello, is a small offering to the fates.

The meat (lean, in contrast to other cured meats) is minced and seasoned and then stuffed into soft intestine casing and cured for a relatively brief period.

It is light and delicate in flavour. Try it with home-made bread and if you wish to serve with cheese, go for the unmistakeable Parmigiano Reggiano.